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Performance and Innovation Unit
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the report of the Performance and Innovation Unit on the pursuit and seizure of criminal assets, following the recommendation of the Third report of the Home Office Working Group on Confiscation was completed; what action she proposes to take following the report; what discussions (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department and (c) her officials have had with (i) the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (ii) the hon. Member for Norwich, South, (iii) the Prime Minister and (iv) officials in the Home Department regarding the report; if she will place a copy of the report in the Library; and if she will make a statement. [123790]
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Marjorie Mowlam: The Prime Minister commissioned the Performance and Innovation Unit to carry out a study into the "Pursuit and Seizure of Criminal Assets" last year. This was announced on 21 October 1999, Official Report, column 630W, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney). My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office is sponsor Minister for this study.
The study, which is now nearing completion, has had the strong support of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the Minister of State, Home Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Clarke). Home Office officials have been closely involved, as have officials of other Government Departments.
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The final report will be published shortly and copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Cosmetics (Marketing Ban)
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons the UK voted in favour of a postponement of an EU marketing ban on cosmetics tested on animals on 5 May. [124052]
Dr. Howells: The Government are very serious about animal welfare, and already have a voluntary ban on testing on animals of cosmetic products and cosmetic ingredients. However, Government policy is to ensure not only a strong commitment to animal welfare but that our regulatory framework is in full compliance with our WTO obligations. Internal advice has confirmed the European Commission's assessment that a marketing ban would risk challenge under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. In addition, there were concerns that the 6th Amendment would be legally and practically unenforceable.
A 7th Amendment to the cosmetics directive has recently been transmitted to the Council and European Parliament by the European Commission. This Amendment aims to introduce a ban on animal testing in the EU rather than a marketing ban and is WTO compatible. The two-year deferment of the entry into force of the 6th Amendment should allow sufficient time to enable the 7th Amendment to be adopted. I believe that the 7th Amendment will offer a better level of animal welfare in the EU as a marketing ban would have offered as it will introduce a total ban in the EU on animal testing (in relation to cosmetic products and the ingredients contained therein).
On 5 May EU member states voted unanimously (one member state abstained) in favour of deferring the entry into force of the 6th Amendment of the cosmetics directive.
European Young Consumer Competition 2000
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the (a) purpose and (b) funding of the European Young Consumer Competition 2000. [123604]
Dr. Howells: (a) I fully support the purpose of the competition to encourage young people to become more enlightened consumers and communicators so that they can play an effective part in the community at home and abroad. That said, it is up to individual schools and teachers to decide whether to take part.
(b) The competition is funded by the European Commission.
Daewoo Technical Centre
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the discussions his Department has had on the Daewoo Technical Centre in Worthing. [124458]
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Mr. Caborn: The Government are keeping closely in touch with developments affecting Daewoo Motors given its significant investment in the UK, in particular at the Worthing Technical Centre. Decisions about the future of the Centre are a commercial matter for the company, but my officials have had regular contact with the Centre as a part of their sponsorship responsibilities.
Coalfield Regeneration
Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will utilise part of the share of surpluses generated by the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme and British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme, taken by the Government, to help regenerate coalfield community areas. [123461]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 23 May 2000]: Surpluses in the former British Coal pension schemes are split 50/50 between the membership of the schemes and the DTI, in its role as guarantor to the schemes.
In accordance with the Coal Industry Act 1994 (Sch. 5, paragraph 2(10)), all surpluses received by the Secretary of State must be paid into the Consolidated Fund. The DTI has no statutory powers to divert pension surpluses for regeneration.
The Government are already providing substantial funds to meet the commitments made in response to the Coalfields Task Force Report and indeed we announced in December 1998 a comprehensive investment package for coalfield areas worth £354 million over three years. In addition, the Secretary of State announced on 17 April the intention to make substantial sums available to the coal industry in the form of subsidy.
Ilisu Dam
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to ensure that those people who will be displaced by the Ilisu Dam project in Turkey will be consulted beforehand. [124180]
Mr. Caborn: The process of consultation of the local population, by consultants appointed by the Project Owner DSI, commenced in December 1999 and this process is continuing. We await the production of a Resettlement Action plan.
In order to provide additional professional assistance to DSI in the planning of resettlement and compensation, the Swiss Export Credit Agency, as the leader of the eight agencies involved of which the UK is one, has recruited Dr. Ayse Kudat for an initial period of two years. Dr. Kudat is an eminent environmental sociologist, and was until this month a senior staff member at the World Bank.
The expertise of Dr. Kudat will help ensure that the resettlement programme will reflect internationally accepted practice, which is the first of the four requirements set out in the announcement made by my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 21 December 1999.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) which Departments of Government were
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consulted on (a) human rights and (b) sustainable development issues relating to the Ilisu Dam; and on what dates; [124183]
- (2) when the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was consulted about the human rights implications of providing ECGD cover for the Ilisu Dam in Turkey; and what advice it gave; [124184]
(3) which Departments of Government were consulted about the advisability of providing ECGD cover for the building of the Ilisu Dam; and on what dates. [124182]
Mr. Caborn: The following Departments have been consulted about relevant aspects of the proposed Ilisu Dam project: H.M. Treasury, Department of Trade and Industry, British Trade International, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for International Development, Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions and Department for Culture, Media and Sport. These exchanges began in January 1999, although DCMS were not involved until later. ECGD continues to maintain regular contact with FCO, DTI, DETR, DCMS and British Trade International. DFID has not been involved since July 1999, as Turkey is not one of their key partner countries.
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There were intensive exchanges of correspondence between the Ministers most concerned during November and December 1999 prior to the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 21 December 1999.
Research Councils
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) for which areas of research covered by each Research Council the budget has contracted in each year since 1994; [122134]
- (2) what the breakdown was of the funding of each Research Council by main programme of activity in each year since 1994. [122132]
Ms Hewitt: The evolving nature of the Research Councils' programmes makes it impossible to provide consistent expenditure figures for all programme areas over the period requested. In particular, the Economic and Social Research Council established a new set of themes in 1995-96 and the Medical Research Council made major changes to the structure of its portfolio in 1995-96 and again in 1999-2000. The available information for each of the six Councils is set out, in cash terms, in the table.
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Strictly speaking, there are no programme areas where the expenditure has diminished in each year over the period, although the Councils have increased the budgets for high priority programmes at the expense of certain others. For example, the Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council has significantly enhanced its support for biomolecular science over the period, while keeping some other programmes broadly level in cash terms.
The uneven spend on PPARC particle physics is largely due to the timing of payments of the UK subscription to the CERN laboratory in Geneva.
Further details of individual programmes can be found in the Councils' Annual Reports, copies of which are in the Library.
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